Ibn Mas'ud reported: The Prophet s.a.w. drew up a square and in the middle of it he drew a line, the end of which jutted out beyond the square. Further across the middle line, he drew a number of smaller lines. Then he s.a.w. said, "The figure represents man and the encircling square is the death which is encompassing him. The middle line represents his desires and the smaller lines are vicissitudes of life. If one of those misses him, another distresses him, and if that one misses him, he falls victim to another." [Al-Bukhari]
Commentary: To sum up, man is ever closer to the border line of death and not supposed to remain unprepared for it. There is no end to wishful thinking and, therefore, he should not adopt a careless attitude towards the inescapable death in the pursuit of illusionary hopes. The best course for him is to remain ever-ready for his exit from the worldly stage. [Riyad us-saliheen with commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, page 510]
Remembering death checks us from over-indulging in worldly pleasures
Abu Hurairah reported: Messenger of Allah said, "Remember more often the destroyer of pleasures - death." [Al-Tirmidhi]
Nobody wants to meet his Lord in a state of banktupt. Therefore, being heedful about death serve as zikr for men from being heedless with worldly pleasures and seductions. Sister Na'ima B. Robert eloquently puts in her book From My Sisters' Lips, "But by far the greatest trial for me and many others was actualizing what is really the essence of Islam--submission. To become Muslim is to become one who submits to the will of Allah. That means ego out, arrogance out, pride out: the self is brought to heel." What better ways for us to understand the real of essence of Islam - submission - than to remember the day we physically submit to God--death? It is indeed fashionable to speak about Islam nowadays. The pseudo intellect of many Muslims quickly spring out when they give their two cents about their religion, especially the socio-politico aspects of it, but these pseudo intellects will rarely touch on the topic of death. Are we infested with the dreadful disease, wahn?
Messenger of Allah said, "Nations will call each other, as people make invitations to a meal, to make a concerted attack on you. Someone asked: ‘Will this happen because of our being small in number?’ God’s Messenger answered: ‘Rather, you will then be great in number, but as powerless as wood-chips or straw carried in a flood. God will remove fear of you from the hearts of your enemies and implant in you fear of death and love of the world."[Abu Dawud, Malahim, 5; I. Hanbal, 5.278.]
The Idolators thought that Resurrection after Death was very unlikely
(Nay, but they say the like of what the men of old said. They said: "When we are dead and have become dust and bones, shall we be resurrected indeed'') They thought it very unlikely that this would happen after they had disintegrated into nothing. ("Verily, this we have been promised -- we and our fathers before (us)! This is only the tales of the ancients!'') This means, "It is impossible that we could be brought back. This was said by those who learned it from the books and disputes of the ancients.'' This denial and rejection on their part is like the Ayah where Allah tells us about them: ("Even after we are crumbled bones'' They say: "It would in that case, be a return with loss!'' But it will be only a single Zajrah, When behold, they find themselves on the surface of the earth alive after their death.) [Qur'an: 79:11-14]
[Tafsir Ibn Kathir on Surah al-Mu'minun]
Do you think that life is just a play and you will not be brought back to your Lord?
(In Falsehood will they be) Until, when death comes to one of them, he says: "O my Lord! send me back (to life), In order that I may work righteousness in the things I neglected." - "By no means! It is but a word he says."- Before them is a Partition till the Day they are raised up. Then when the Trumpet is blown, there will be no more relationships between them that Day, nor will one ask after another! Then those whose balance (of good deeds) is heavy,- they will attain salvation: But those whose balance is light, will be those who have lost their souls, in Hell will they abide. The Fire will burn their faces, and they will therein grin, with their lips displaced. "Were not My Signs rehearsed to you, and ye did but treat them as falsehood?" They will say: "our Lord! Our misfortune overwhelmed us, and we became a people astray! "Our Lord! bring us out of this: if ever we return (to Evil), then shall we be wrong-doers indeed!" He will say: "Be ye driven into it (with ignominy)! And speak ye not to Me! "A part of My servants there was, who used to pray 'our Lord! we believe; then do Thou forgive us, and have mercy upon us: For Thou art the Best of those who show mercy!" "But ye treated them with ridicule, so much so that (ridicule of) them made you forget My Message while ye were laughing at them! "I have rewarded them this Day for their patience and constancy: they are indeed the ones that have achieved Bliss..." He will say: "What number of years did ye stay on earth?" They will say: "We stayed a day or part of a day: but ask those who keep account." He will say: "Ye stayed not but a little,- if ye had only known! "Did ye then think that We had created you in jest, and that ye would not be brought back to Us (for account)?" [Qur'an: 23:99-115]
You should not fear nor grieve when the time comes if you...
Imam Ahmad recorded that ‘Ata’ bin As-Sa’ib said, "The first day I saw Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Layla, I saw an old man whose hair had become white on his head and beard. He was riding his donkey and following a funeral. I heard him say, ‘So-and-so narrated to me that he heard the Messenger of Allah s.a.w. say, "He who likes to meet Allah, Allah likes to meet him, and he who hates to meet Allah, Allah hates to meet him."
The people around him started weeping and he asked them why they wept. They said, ‘All of us hate death.’ He s.a.w. said, "It does not mean that. When one dies:
This is the narration that Imam Ahmad collected; and in the Sahih, there is a Hadith with this meaning collected from ‘Aishah.
Allah’s statement, "And if he be of those on the right"(Al-Waqi’ah:90), means, if he, the dying person, is among those on the right, "Then Salam(peace) to you from those on the right" (Al-Waqi’ah: 91) meaning, the angels will deliver the good news to them by saying, "Peace be upon you," i.e., be calm, you will be led to safety, you are among those on the right, as ‘Ikrimah said, "The angels will greet him with the Salam and convey to him the news that he is among those on the right." This is a good explanation, and it conforms with Allah’s statement,
"Those who proclaim: "Our Lord is God," then lead a righteous life, the angels descend upon them: "You shall have no fear, nor shall you grieve. Rejoice in the good news that paradise has been reserved for you. "We are your allies in this life, and in the Hereafter. You will have in it anything you wish for; you will have anything you want. (Such is your) ultimate abode, from a Forgiver, Most Merciful." (Qur’an 41:30-32).
[Tafsir ibn Kathir on Surah al-Waqi’ah]
So what should you do?
'Abdullah bin 'Umar reported: Messenger of Allah took hold of my shoulders and said, "Be in the world like a stranger or a wayfarer." ibn 'umar used to say: When you survive till the evening do not expect to live in the morning; and when you survive till the morning do not expect to live untill the evening. While in good health (do good deeds) before you fall sick; and while you are alive (do good deeds) before death strikes. [Al-Bukhari]
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